Automatic switch



Feb. 7, 1933. -r., w. THIRLWELL 'AUTOMATIG SWITCH Filed Oct. 14, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ATTQRNEY Feb. 7, 1933. w THlRLWELL 1,896,985

AUTOMATI C SWITCH Filed Oct. 14, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 9 ATTORNE\ Patented Feb. 7, 19 33 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC SWITCH Application filed October 14, 1929. Serial No. 399,569.

This invention relates to electric switches designed for controlling separate circuits, and is an improvement upon the switch disclosed in'my co-pending application, Serial Number 389,498, filed August 30, 1929.

An object of the present invention is to provide a switch which is especially designed to control an automobile direction signal, the primary object bein to provide means wherey the switch may manually closed prior to a change indirection of travel and thereafter the manually 'operatedmeans automatically opened, together with auxiliary means to automatically close theswitch prior to the opening of the manually operated means,so that a signal may be rendered active prior to the direction change, and maintained in active position until the change is completed.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention further includes the following novel features and details of constructiomto be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings Fi re 1 is a fragmentary view illustrating t e switch as applied to the steering column of an automobile, one section of the switch housing being removed.-

Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 2 2 of Figure 1, the manually operated switch arm being shown in position to close the switch. V p v V Figure 3 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the insulated supporting block and the contact elements carried thereby, the parts being in the position shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a front view of the insulated supporting block and the contact elements carried thereby.

Figure 5 is an elevation of the cam sleeve with the switch arms in section and shown in neutral position.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken substan tially on the line 6-6 of Figure 2. I

Figure 7 is a detail plan view of the-switch block.

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view illustrat- 50 ing the use of the invention.

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing a slightly different form of the invention.

Figure 10 is a section on the line 1010 of Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a fragmentary plan view of a slightly different and simpler form of the invention. 1

Referring to the drawings in detail wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts, the reference character 10 indicates a portion of the steering column of an automobile and 11 a portion of thesteering wheel, the'latter being mounted 'upon the steering shaft through the medium of a collar 12. a

The invention is designed to be mounted uponthe steering column and for this purpose provides a housing 13. This housing is formedof a. pair of complemental sections which are detachably connected by means of screws or bolts 14, so that the switch may be readily mounted upon the column.

Arranged within the housing 13 is a switch block 15. This block is formed of suitable insulating material and provides a support for the contact members, the block, being recessed as shown at 16. The block 15 is further provided with pockets 17 within which is secured stationary contacts 18. One of'these contacts is positioned upon each face of the block and held in place-by means of a binding screw 19' which provides means for connecting a conductor 20. This conductor leads from a suitable source of current 21 which may be grounded as shown at 22.

Mounted upon opposite faces of the block 15 and upon' opposite sides of the recess 16 are switch levers 23 and 24. These levers are provided with insulated finger pieces which extend through openings 25 provided in the housing 13, so that the contact portions 23' and 24 of the respective switch arms "23 and 24 may be moved into and out'of engagement with the spaced contacts 18. Switch arms 23 and 24 are mounted upon pivots 26 which also provide binding posts for conductors 27 28. I I As shown in Figures 2, 3, and 8 of the drawin'gs, the switch arms 23 and 24 are provided with integral extension arms '29 and 30 respectively, at the outer ends of which are rollers 31.

Mounted uponand rotatable with the post 32 which is arranged within the collar 10, is

a sleeve or collar 33. This sleeve or collar is of sectional formation, the sections being clamped upon the post 33 by any suitable means, for example, by means of pins 34, the sleeve or collar 33 carries diametrically located cams 35 and 36, the cam 35 being designed to engage the roller of the arm 29, while the cam 36 is designed to engage the roller of the a rm 30. By reference to Figure 5 of the drawings it will be seen that the cams are relatively ofiset so as to engage the rollers 31, the arms of which extend from opposite faces of the arm 30.

As thus far described, the switch is dc signed to operate direction signals F and R, the signal F being adapted to be positioned at the front of an automobile while the signal R is to be positioned at the rear. Each of these signals may include a hand or pointer L and a hand or pointer R, and these hands or pointers are adapted to be illuminated by means of electric lamps Z and 1'. The lamp Z of the signal F is connected to the conductor 28 by means of a conductor 37, while the lamp 1 of the signal F is connected to the conductor 27. by means of a conductor 38. These lamps may be grounded through the housing of the signal F as indicated at G, so that the lamps are arranged in parallel. The conductors 27 and 28 connect respectively with the lamps r and Z of the signal R and the latter is grounded as indicated at G.

As thus far described, it will be seen that when the switch arm 23 is moved to the position shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, the contact end 23 of this arm will engage'its stationary contact 18. The circuit may then be completed from the battery 21 through the conductor 20, the contact 18, the switch arm 23, the bindin post 26, the conductor 27 to the lamps 1- 0 each of the signal devices F and R, the current returning through the ground to the battery. The circuit-may remain closed until the steering wheel 11 is operated for a change in direction of travel, and as a right hand turn has been indicated through the illumination of the lamps 1',when the steering wheel is operated to make this turn, the cam 35 will engage the roller of the arm 29 and will move the switch arm 23 pivotally so as to disengage this arm from the contact 18 and interrupt the circuit.

If desired, the housing may be provided with spring influenced plungers 39. One of these plungers is arranged upon each side of the block 15 and their inner ends engage the switch arms 23 and 24 when the latter are in their normally open position. When it is desired to indicate a turn, the proper plunger parted to the arm 42.

23, after which the plunger will assume its normal position under the action of its spring. If the driver of the automobile should change his mind before making the turn he may manually restore the switch arm to position to interrupt the flow of current to the sig nal lamps.

The block 15 .is attached to the housing 13 by means of screws or bolts 40, and springs 41 are mounted upon these bolts between the housing and block so as to yieldingly hold the block inplace for the purpose to be hereinafter apparent.

In order to maintain the si nal in active condition during the turn, the inding screw 19 serves to attach a resilient contact arm 42 to the block 15. arm 42 extends within the recess 16 and carries at its outer end a roller 43. This roller is arranged in the path of a rib or cam 44 which is carried by the collar 33. This rib or cam is interrupted as shown in Figure 5 of the drawings and its opposite ends are reversely beveled as shown at 46. The roller 43 normally occupies a position between the inclined or beveled ends 46 of the cam 44, and as the arm 42 is positioned between the switch arms 23 and 24, when thevsteering wheel is rotated, the roller 43 will ride either above or below the cam 44 and engage either the switch arm 23 or the switch arm24, according to the direction or rotation of the steering wheel. As the beveled ends 46 of'the cam 44 are arranged in advance of the cams 35 and 36, a circuit will be completed through the signal lamps prior to the operation of the pivoted switch arms by the cams 35 and 36. The arm 42 and cam 44 thus provide auxiliary means for closing a circuit through the signal lamps, while the cams 35 and 36 act to restore the pivoted switch arms to their normal positions, so that when the vehicle is straightened out after the turn, the switch arm 42 will resume its position between the beveled ends of the cam 44 and current to the signal lamps Will be interrupted.

If desired, the pivoted switch arms 23 and 24 may be ofiset or thickened as shown at 23a and 24a, for engagementwith similar offset or thickened portions 42a upon opposite sides of the arm 42. Contact will then be made through very little movement of the arm 42, and as the cam 44 is narrow, no strain is im- In Figure 10, the plungers 39 are omitted. The inanually operated switch arms 23? and 246 are pivotally mounted upon the binding post 19. In'this form of the invention, the posts 26 carry contacts 18a which are arranged in the path of the arms 29a. These arms 29a carry the rollers 31 Which are arranged in the path of the cams 35 and 36. The springswitch arm 42 in this form of the invention is positioned between the contacts I the switch is manually closed and automatically opened as soon as change in direction of travel is begun.

The invention is susceptible of various changes in its form, proportions and minor details of construction and the right is herein reserved to make such changes as properly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention what is claimed is I 1. A switch for operating signals comprising a casing having switch arm openings, an

insulating member mounted in the casing, stationary contacts carried by the member and electrically connected to signals, switch arms pivoted to said member and electrical ly connected to the signals and extending through the openings to permit manual oper ation thereof, movable contacts carried by the arms to be engaged and disengaged with the stationary contacts to control the signals, a flexible switch arm secured to the insulating member and electrically connected to the stationary contacts, means actuated by a steering mechanism to cause'the flexible switch arm to engage either of the manually operated switch arms to control the signals depending in the direction in which the steering mechanism is moved, angularly disposed extensions on the manually operated switch arms, and cams ing mechanism to cause the flexible switch arm to engage either ofthe manually operated switch arms to control the signals depending in the direction in which the steering mechanism is moved, ang'ularly disposed extensions on the manually operated switch arm, rollers carried by the extensions, and cams moved by the steering mechanism and engageable with the rollers to actuate the manually operated switch arms for breaking the circuits to the signals after a certain movement of the steering mechanism in either direction.

7 In testimony whereof I afiix my signature. THOMAS WILLIAM THIRLWELL.

moved by the steering mechanism and engageable with the extensions to actuate the manually operable switch arms for breaking the circuits to the signals after a certain movement of the steering mechanism in either direction.

2. A switch for operating signals comprising a casing having switch arm openings, an insulating member mounted in the casing and spaced from the walls thereof, stationary contacts carried by opposite sides of the member and electrically connected to signals, switch arms pivoted to opposite sides of the member and electrically connected to the signals and extending through the openings to permit manual operation thereof, movable contacts carried by the pivoted ends of the arms to be engaged and disengaged with the stationary contacts to control the signals, a flexible switch arm secured to the insulating member and electrically connected to the stationary contacts, means actuated by the steer- 

